Grain-drier



H. GIBULKLEY.

GRAIN DRIER.

No. 8,769. Patented Mar. 2, 1852.

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HENRY G. BULKLEY, OF KALAM AZOO, MICHIGAN.

GRAIN-DRIER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8,769, dated March 2, 1852; Reissued June 2'7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Gr. BULKLEY, of Kalamazoo, in the State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful apparatus for kiln-drying grain, flour, lumber, &c., by means of an atmosphere of highly-heated steam used in a chamber without pressure.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a cheap apparatus which makes so much steam only as is necessary to keep the material to be kiln-dried from scorching and in using the escape heat to keep up the temperature of this steam atmosphere surrounding the case containing the article to be dried for kiln drying rapidly.

The construction of my apparatus is as follows reference being had to the annexed drawings in which Figure l, is a plan. Fig. 2, is a vertical section in the plane a, a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a vertical section in the plane 5, b of Fig. 1.

In constructing the-drier for kiln drying grain, flour, meal, &c., I make a box of any desirable size, (if portable of wood, if sta tionary of brick or other suitable material,) of suitable proportions, say 8 feet long, 2 feet 4 inches wide and 3 ft. 6 inches high, more or less. The bottom of this chamber must be formed of sheet metal which also extends up the sides to a sufiicient distance to form a shallow pan (d) the whole size,

of the bottom. Beneath this pan or bottom there is formed in any ordinary way a tire chamber, as shown at (0), from which two smoke pipes (6) rise, passing up on either side of the chambers of the articles to be dried and made so as to traverse the steam chamber (f) three or more/times its length,

after which it is conveyed ofi into a chimney or otherwise. The pan (d) above named is filled with water to the depth of 6 or more inches, through which the smoke pipe enters the chamber. Through the center of the box or chamber above named .there is a series of horizontal tubes which pass clear through the box and projeet out at either end if grain or meal, &c., is to be dried, which have a heating tube on either side. These grain tubes are all in the same vertical plane and the grain is put int-o one end of the upper tube of the series,

of the moisture may be extracted with the same fire. To increase the power of the machine multiply the tubes either in height or in the no. of tiers, or both. WVhen built to be used in a mill or warehouse it (the box) should be constructed of brick or stone and the top arched, which will make it safer from fire than a common stove, since the smoke and heat are required to pass a considerable length, and turn several elbows, in' a jet of steam.

In making the drier for lumber I make a double box of'wood of the size to hold 2 to 4 M. ft. and fill the spaces between the two with saw dust, tanbark, charcoal or some other nonconducting substance. The sheetiron pan is placed on an arch under the middle and crosswise of the box, to which the floorslants or inclines, so that the condensed steam which falls upon the floor will return naturally to the boiler or pan and thus have a no. degrees of heat. The smoke and heat pass through the sheetiron bottom or pan (as in the grain drier) into the boxand are then conducted a sufficient no. of times the length of the box near the bottom. The ends of the steam box should be doors, so that a car may be loaded with lumber and by means of a track run into inches or more above the heat pipes to pre- 7 vent its being scorched by them.

What I claim as my invention and Wish to secure by Letters Patent is- The employment of an atmosphere of 15 steam surrounding the article to be kilndried. and kept heated substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

HENRY Gr. BULKLEY.

Witnesses GEORGE ToRREY, CHs. S. ARGAMBAL.

[Fms'r PRINTED 1912.] 

